Life After College: Non-Teaching Career Options

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around career options for individuals with a Bachelor of Science in Physics who are not interested in pursuing teaching positions or further graduate studies. Participants explore various non-teaching career paths and share their experiences and opinions on the job market.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses uncertainty about career options after obtaining a BS in Physics and indicates a preference for non-teaching roles.
  • Another participant suggests pursuing industry jobs as a viable option.
  • Questions arise regarding the availability of jobs without graduate degrees, with one participant noting that qualifications may vary by position.
  • Concerns are raised about the difficulty of finding teaching jobs with a physics degree, as many high schools require an education degree and teaching certification.
  • One participant challenges the assumption that teaching jobs are easily accessible for physics graduates, citing regional differences in hiring practices.
  • Another participant shares frustration regarding the requirement for a teaching certificate, describing it as a waste of time, particularly in California.
  • A participant references Richard Feynman to argue against the necessity of certain educational requirements for teaching.
  • Another participant shares their personal experience of transitioning from teaching to running a bike shop, suggesting entrepreneurship as a potential career path.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the accessibility of teaching jobs for physics graduates, with some asserting that teaching positions are not readily available without additional qualifications, while others argue that this may vary by location. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best non-teaching career options.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight regional variations in job requirements and the perceived value of teaching certifications, indicating that the discussion may be influenced by local educational policies and job market conditions.

kikko
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I am getting my BS soon, I'm okay with going on to get my Masters if I want to do Medical Physics, but I'm not too keen on getting a PhD. I do not want a teaching job. Can anyone explain life after college to me if you want a job not in teaching or grad school? I'm pretty clueless.
 
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Go into industry :).
 


what jobs can I get without grad school besides teaching?
Whatever jobs you apply for. You may be more or less qualified for certain positions.
 


I wouldn't assume a physics B.S. can easily find a teaching job (even if it's because it's what you don't want to do). Most high schools want an education degree and a teaching certification (even most private schools). Community colleges mostly require a Masters in physics.
 


lepton33 said:
I wouldn't assume a physics B.S. can easily find a teaching job. Most high schools want an education degree and a teaching certification (even most private schools). Community colleges mostly require a Masters in physics.

I don't know where you are located, but that's not true where I live. High schools here prefer Physics BS (however, at the K-8 level, I suspect what you say is true). The teaching certificate is also required, unfortunately, which is 2 years of wasting your time in California. Private schools don't require a teaching credential here typically, or at least that's my understanding.
 


Pengwuino said:
The teaching certificate is also required, unfortunately, which is 2 years of wasting your time in California.

I agree, most high schools seem to require that now and it amounts to getting a minor in education. What a big waste of time, after looking at the curriculum for such an accolade at my university I almost refuse to do it because I see it as a waste of time.

Feynman didn't need such frivolities <.<
 


dydxforsn said:
Feynman didn't need such frivolities <.<

Feynman also a) did not teach at the high school level and b) requirements for teaching high school were much different 50+ years ago.
 


What about setting up a business. I have a Masters and I was a teacher now I run my own bike shop. I spend my days fixing bikes and I like it.
 

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